Traction fluids for traction drive transmissions

Abstract

Traction fluids for traction drive transmissions, prepared by hydrogenating an alkylation product obtained by the reaction of xylene and/or toluene, together with or without ethylbenzene, with styrene.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a traction drive transmission having a traction fluid, the improvement in which said traction fluid comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of α-cyclohexyl-α-methyl-cyclohexylethane and α-cyclohexyl-α-dimethylcyclohexylethane and mixtures thereof, the at least one compound being obtained by hydrogenating at least one compound selected from the group consisting of α-phenyl-α-tolylethane and α-phenyl-α-(dimethylphenyl) ethane as alkaylation products of (A) at least one member selected from the group consisting of xylene and toluene and mixtures thereof, and (B) styrene. 
     
     
       2. In a traction drive transmission having a traction fluid, the improvement in which said traction fluid comprises a mixture of (1) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of α-cyclohexyl-α-methylcyclohexylethane and α-cyclohexyl-α-dimethylcyclohexylethane and mixtures thereof with (2) α-cyclohexyl-α-ethylcyclohexyl-ethane, the mixture being obtained by hydrogenating a mixture of (1) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of α-phenyl-α-methylphenylethane and α-phenyl-α-(dimethylphenyl) ethane and mixtures thereof with (2) α-phenyl-α-ethylphenylethane, the compounds (1) and (2) to be hydrogenated being alkylation products of (A) a mixture of (1) at least one member selected from the group consisting of xylene and toluene and mixtures thereof with (2) less than 50%, based on the xylene and/or toluene used, by weight of ethylbenzene and (B) styrene. 
     
     
       3. In a traction drive transmission having a traction fluid, the improvement in which said traction fluid comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of bis-(α-cyclohexylethyl) methylcyclohexane and bis-(α-cyclohexylethyl)-dimethylcyclohexane and mixtures thereof, the at least one compound being obtained by hydrogenating at least one compound selected from the group of bis-(α-methylbenzyl) toluene and bis-(α-methylbenzyl) xylene and mixtures thereof as alkylation products of (A) xylene and/or toluene with (B) styrene. 
     
     
       4. In a traction drive transmission having a traction fluid, the improvement in which said traction fluid comprises a mixture of (1) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of bis-(α-cyclohexylethyl)methyl-cyclohexane and bis-(α-cyclohexylethyl)dimethylcyclohexane and mixtures thereof with (2) bis-(α-cyclohexylethyl) ethylcyclohexane, the mixture being obtained by hydrogenating a mixture of (1) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of bis-(α-methylbenzyl) toluene and bis-(α-methylbenzyl) xylene and mixtures thereof with (2) bis-(α-methylbenzyl)ethylbenene, the compounds (1) and (2) to be hydrogenated being alkylation products of (A) a mixture of (1) xylene and/or toluene with (2) less than 50%, based on the xylene and/or toluene used, by weight of ethylbenzene and (B) styrene. 
     
     
       5. In a traction drive transmission having a traction fluid, the improvement in which said traction fluid comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of 1-(methylcyclohexyl)-1,3-dicyclohexylbutane and 1-(dimethylcyclohexyl)-1,3-dicyclohexylbutane and mixtures thereof, obtained by hydrogenating at least one compound selected from the group consisting of 1-(methylphenyl)-1,3-diphenylbutane and 1-(dimethylphenyl)-1,3-diphenylbutane and mixtures thereof as alkylation products of (A) xylene and/or toluene and (B) styrene. 
     
     
       6. In a traction drive transmission having a traction fluid, the improvement in which said traction fluid comprises a mixture of (1) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of 1-(methylcyclohexyl)-1,3-dicyclohexylbutane and 1-(dimethylcyclohexyl)-1,3-cyclohexylbutane and mixtures thereof with (2) 1-(ethylcyclohexyl)-1,3-dicyclohexylbutane, the mixture being obtained by hydrogenating a mixture of (1) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of 1-(methylphenyl)-1,3-diphenylbutane and 1-(dimethylphenyl)-1,3-diphenylbutane and mixtures thereof with (2) 1-(ethylphenyl)-1,3-diphenylbutane, the compounds (1) and (2) to be hydrogenated being alkylation products of (A) a mixture of (2) xylene and/or toluene with (2) less than 50%, based on the xylene and/or toluene used, by weight of ethylbenzene and (B) styrene. 
     
     
       7. In a traction drive transmission having a traction fluid composition, the improvement in which said traction fluid composition comprises a compound of the following structural formula: ##STR3## wherein R 1  is H or CH 3 , R 2  is CH 3  or C 2  H 5 , provided that R 2  is CH 3  when R 1  is CH 3 . 
     
     
       8. In a traction drive transmission having a traction fluid composition, the improvement in which said traction fluid composition comprises a compound of the following structural formula: ##STR4## wherein R 1  is H or CH 3 , R 2  is CH 3  or C 2  H 5 , provided that R 2  is CH 3  when R 1  is CH 3 . 
     
     
       9. In a traction drive transmission having a traction fluid composition, the improvement in which said traction fluid composition comprises a compound of the following formula: ##STR5## wherein R 1  is H or CH 3 , R 2  is CH 3  or C 2  H 5 , provided that R 2  is CH 3  when R 1  is CH 3 . 
     
     
       10. In a traction drive transmission according to claim 7 wherein the compound is α-cyclo-hexyl-α-methylcyclohexylethane. 
     
     
       11. In a traction drive transmission according to claim 7 wherein the compound is α-cyclohexyl-α-dimethylcyclohexylethane. 
     
     
       12. In a traction drive transmission according to claim 7 wherein the compound is α-cyclohexyl-α-ethylcyclohexylethane. 
     
     
       13. In a traction drive transmission according to claim 8 wherein the compound is bis-(α-cyclohexylethyl)methylchclohexane. 
     
     
       14. In a traction drive transmission according to claim 8 wherein the compound is bis-(αcyclohexylethyl)dimethylcyclohexane. 
     
     
       15. In a traction drive transmission according to claim 8 wherein the compound is bis-(α-cyclohexylethyl)ethylcyclohexane. 
     
     
       16. In a traction drive transmission according to claim 9 wherein the compound is 1-(methylcyclohexyl)-1,3-dicyclohexylbutane. 
     
     
       17. In a traction drive transmission according to claim 9 wherein the compound is 1-(dimethylcyclohexyl)-1,3-dicyclohexylbutane. 
     
     
       18. In a traction drive transmission according to claim 9 wherein the compound is 1-(ethylcyclohexyl)-1,3-dicyclohexylbutane. 
     
     
       19. In a traction drive transmission according to claims 8 or 9 having a kinetic viscosity of about 3-11 cSt. 
     
     
       20. A process of improving the rolling friction of fluids used in traction drive transmissions comprising the steps of: (A) alkylating at least one compound selected from the group consisting of xylene, toluene, and mixtures thereof with styrene,   (B) hydrogenating the resulting alkylation product, and   (C) using the resulting hydrogenated product in a traction drive transmission to thereby improve the rolling friction thereof.   
     
     
       21. The process according to claim 20 wherein ethylbenzene is additionally included in step (A) in an amount not more than 50% by weight of the compound selected from the group consisting of xylene, toluene, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       22. The process of claim 21 wherein sulfuric acid is used as the catalyst in step (A).